Symptoms

Guillain-Barre syndrome often begins with tingling and weakness starting in your feet and legs and spreading to your upper body and arms. In about 10 percent of people with the disorder, symptoms begin in the arms or face. As Guillain-Barre syndrome progresses, muscle weakness can evolve into paralysis.

Difficulty with eye or facial movements, including speaking, chewing or swallowing

Severe pain that may feel achy or cramp-like and may be worse at night

Difficulty with bladder control or bowel function

Rapid heart rate

Low or high blood pressure

Difficulty breathing

People with Guillain-Barre syndrome usually experience their most significant weakness within two to four weeks after symptoms begin. Recovery usually begins two to four weeks after weakness plateaus.

Types

Once thought to be a single disorder, Guillain-Barre syndrome is now known to occur in several forms. The main types are:

Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP), the most common form in the U.S. The most common sign of AIDP is muscle weakness that starts in the lower part of your body and spreads upward.

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), in which paralysis starts in the eyes. MFS is also associated with unsteady gait. MFS occurs in about 5 percent of people with Guillain-Barre syndrome in the U.S. but is more common in Asia.

Acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN)and acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN), which are less common in the U.S. but more frequent in China, Japan and Mexico.

When to see a doctor

Call your doctor if you have mild tingling in your toes or fingers that doesn't seem to be spreading or getting worse. Seek emergency medical help if you have any of these severe signs or symptoms:

Tingling that started in your feet or toes and is now moving up your body

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a serious condition that requires immediate hospitalization because it can worsen rapidly. The sooner appropriate treatment is started, the better the chance of a good outcome.

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